One week, friends! Just one more week until the 2023 CYBILS Awards winners are announced.
You probably already added the finalists and winners to your TBR, and that’s cool, but our judges read A LOT of great books that, while not award winners, will definitely be winners with young readers. Yes, even picky tween readers. x
See for yourself.
Book cover and summary excerpt from Goodreads. Click to see more details and reviews.
FICTION (MG)
Allie is British and dreams of being a spy. Sage is an only child from sunny California. They meet when their families swap houses for the summer. Though they're polar opposites, Allie and Sage quickly realize that they're both dealing with family issues.
Sage's parents may be on the brink of divorce, and Allie's struggling to feel heard in her big family. It may take a trip around the world for them to find their place at home.
Jessica @ Cracking the Cover – Billed as The Parent Trap meets The Holiday, The House Swap is a sweet coming-of-age tale. The story is told from alternating points of view. Through Allie and Sage, readers not only get a sense of who the girls are but their varying cultures. Author Yvette Clark does an excellent job realizing their characters. The juxtaposition helps move the story forward and keeps the pacing strong. The House Swap is a heartwarming read that explores complicated family dynamics while remaining light.
Cindy @ Kiss the Book – A sweet book about finding friends in unexpected places. While not a stand-out must read for every student, certainly has plenty of charm.
GRAPHIC NOVEL
Despite her monstrous appearance, Iris has never felt like she belongs in a mansion filled with kelpies and gorgons and unicorns in a “foster home for horrors” run by former paranormal investigator Mr. Halloway.
When a human boy named Mathias breaks the house’s sealing spell, Iris and her companions are set free upon the town of Dead End Springs. As Iris searches for a home, she makes human friends, explores a brand-new world…and stumbles upon a dark secret that Halloway has kept locked in the basement of the house. Will this long-slumbering mystery destroy the family Iris so desperately seeks?
Kristen @ Goodreads – Misfit Mansion definitely lived up to the hype I’ve seen from some other readers I’ve seen promoting this cute found family story about monsters who have been living together and one who wants to see what it is like in the human town nearby especially during the Harvest Festival. I absolutely loved the message of this book, the cute illustrations and the loving vibes throughout. Plus fall themes books are my fave so I was digging it so much with all the lovely colors! A must read!
NONFICTION
If you could design a city that would be both a great place to live and good for the planet, what would it look like?
Cities face big challenges, including threats from climate change, food insecurity, a lack of clean water and rapid population growth, but they are also places where innovation and sustainability can thrive. Peek into the past to see how cities have changed through time and explore what could make cities more sustainable and welcoming for today and tomorrow.
Karen @ Goodreads – Oh, I want to reread this book regularly and use it as a coffee table book / conversation piece. Megan Clendenan (author) and Suharu Ogawa (illustrator) provide young readers an overview of city planning. Their examples span centuries and continents. I was very happy to see examples from Africa and from pre-Columbian Americas. So often China, India, Egypt (as the only African country) and Europe are overrepresented in overview books such as this. I learned a lot about Brasilia and Benin City (Eda) because they appeared at several points to illustrate concepts. It’s very educational! I could get lost in any one section for days by doing side reading on the internet.
Tiffany @ Goodreads – You can’t tell from the cover, but this book is definitely geared more toward upper elementary and middle school. Filled with photographs and informative illustrations – you can learn everything about city development and designing. I particularly love how this book includes valuable and relevant information from the past, present and looks to the future.
POETRY – NOVEL IN VERSE
Love at first sight isn’t a myth. For seventh graders Olivia and Eden, it’s fate. Olivia is a capital-P Poet, and Eden thinks she wants to be a musician one day, but for now she’s just the new girl. And then Eden shows up to Poetry Club and everything changes.
Eden isn’t out, and she has rules for dating Olivia: don’t call. Don’t tell her friends. And don’t let anyone know they’re together.
When jealousy creeps in, it’s Olivia’s words that push Eden away. While Eden sets out to find herself, Olivia begins a journey to bring Eden back—using poetry. Both Olivia and Eden will learn just how powerful their words can be to bring them together . . . or tear them apart forever.
Linda @ Goodreads – Kate Fussner’s verse novel, her debut, feels as if many middle-grade readers will hold tight to the story as they live their own fears and triumphs, and learn that sometimes words can show both regret and love, and can help their growing up.
SPECULATIVE FICTION
Dogtown is a shelter for stray dogs, misbehaving dogs, and discarded robot dogs, whose owners have outgrown them.
Chance, a real dog, has been in Dogtown since her owners unwittingly left her with irresponsible dog-sitters who skipped town. Metal Head is a robot dog who dreams of being back in a real home.
And Mouse is a mouse who has the run of Dogtown, pilfering kibble, and performing clever feats to protect the dogs he loves.
When Chance and Metal Head embark on an adventure to find their forever homes, there is danger, cheese sandwiches, a charging station, and some unexpected kindnesses along the way.
Deb @ The Book Search – Dogtown is about a shelter for dogs who need homes. People have brought their dogs to the shelter for a number of reasons. Surprisingly, some of the dogs are robots and even the robots are looking for new homes. This is a story full of heart. There are parts that are heartbreakingly poignant and parts that are laugh out loud funny. This would be another wonderful read aloud to middle grade classes looking for opportunities to discuss big issues like the ethical treatment of animals, friendship and how someone might try to help a friend as well as thinking about writing techniques, like writing from multiple points of view and author’s voice. I thought this one was great and I think the kids will like this one too.